A Madera man narrowly escaped death after he confronted and pointed a handgun at an off-duty officer of The California Highway Patrol. The CHP officer drew his own weapon and fired six shots into the man’s vehicle, grazing him once in the hand.

The man reportedly dropped the loaded gun and threw himself on the floor of his pickup truck as the other five shots landed around him.

The incident happened at 8:30 p.m. Dec. 23 at the intersection of Orchard and University Avenues, and the call was initially characterized as one of road rage.

Madera police arrested David Romero, 51, of Madera, on felony charges of brandishing a weapon from a motor vehicle in public, even though Romero had a concealed weapons permit to carry the registered 40 caliber handgun...